Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: Computer query
From: David Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 22:03:14 -0400
From: "Meeks, Brock" <Brock.Meeks () MSNBC COM> To: "'farber () cis upenn edu'" <farber () cis upenn edu> Subject: FW: Computer query Date: Fri, 11 Jul 1997 13:33:24 -0700 X-Mailer: Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Connector Version 4.0.994.63 Encoding: 55 TEXT Dave, The following is from Pete Williams of NBC's Nightly News. He's doing a story on the guy that has a computer program "in his head" the his former employer is suing him over, because the guy won't divulge it. I told Pete I'd pass this around to a few folks I thought could answer the question or send his query on to appropriate places. If it's okay to post on IP, great. If not, could you forward it to mailing lists or news group you think are appropriate or suggest ones to me? You can have replies sent to me at: brock.meeks () msnbc com Thanks --Brock -----Original Message----- From: Pete Williams [SMTP:pwilliam () nbc com] Sent: Friday, July 11, 1997 4:20 PM To: Meeks, Brock Subject: Computer query Brock- Here's my query. Many thanks. * * * * * * For a story on an intellectual property dispute in Texas, I have a question about computer code. A Texas man claims to have developed an idea for converting old software into more modern language to run on newer machines. Here is how his legal documents describe the concept: "An algorithm for a software program that could convert machine-executable binary code into a high-level source code, using logic and data abstractions." More specifically, the idea is described as "a way to automatically translate machine-executable binary code, such as Z8000, into a high level source code, such as C or C++ language." My questions are: 1. Of what practical value would such an idea be? . Only for mainframes, or PC's, too? . What could you do with it: dust off old programs written for slow machines and run them on today's faster machines? Who would want to do that? 2. Are there any such inventions already around? 3. And if not, how much would such an idea be worth? The company he's fighting says it would be worth "millions." Thanks for your help. Pete Williams National Broadcasting Company, Inc. Washington, D. C.
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- IP: Computer query David Farber (Jul 11)